Agust raised his eyebrows at me, as I sat opposite him at his desk in his Office.
'Arianna.. I must say I am not used to having so many frequent visits from you, my dear. To what do I owe the pleasure of my youngest daughter's presence?'. Agust spoke cheerfully, as he gazed at me with clear amusement.
'I am assuming that you are aware mother has refused to speak with me, since I have been home?'. I frowned.
My father shifted uncomfortably in his seat and then he let out a deep sigh.
'Well I was thinking it would be best if I explored outside the Coven for a while.. maybe in time she might feel better about everything'. I muttered in a sad voice.
The truth was, I was using my mother's current hatred as an excuse to head back to Crimson Falls. But would my father allow it?
I stared at the floor in discomfort, as my father thought over my request.
'You have never once requested to go on leave before.. This cannot simply be because your mother is angry with you. I am assuming that you wish to experience things outside of our Coven for a little while, am I correct?'. He smiled slightly, at me.
I beamed cheerful at him.
'You are correct, father'.
He then stood in front of me and placed a hand on my shoulder, gently.
'And this has nothing to do with Raymond trying to force himself upon you?'. He spoke an annoyed and extremely tired voice.
I gulped in reaction.
So he thought this was actually about Ray.. of course he found out about it..
I stepped back and frowned at my father.
'I am so sorry! I should have told you but I..'. I trailed off and he held his hand up cutting me off.
'Do not make excuses for his disgusting behaviour, he is lucky I simply let him off with a light beating'. He snapped.
Blaze must have told my father, in the meeting that they had. What else might he have told my father?
I could feel my cheeks beginning to warm up, as I began blushing profusely.
My father simply chuckled lightly, all knowing.
'Blaze is a very interesting and well respected Warlock.. and it seems he has piqued my little girl's interest in a way I never thought any Warlock could ever manage'. He smacked my shoulder gently, teasing me.
This was the first time that my father had ever teased me over a man.. it felt deeply embarrassing.
'Now you are just being mean'. I winced.
'Okay, fine. I will grant your little request but on one condition'. He smirked.
This was going to be something.. I would feel odd about. I just knew it.
'What is the condition?'. I frowned.
He began grinning in reaction to my question.. which only caused dread in my body to increase.
'You will meet with Blaze once a week and update him on your exploits. He will pass the messages along to me'. He teased.
And I just like that, I was blushing.. again.
'Why are you playing matchmaking?'. I groaned.
He laughed deeply.
'Because I am bored and this is clearly a once in a lifetime opportunity to tease my little girl'.
'You are evil'. I laughed.
Little did my father know, I would be going to Crimson Falls.. I needed to know just what was going on with me and Brax and if I could truly be with him.
I also knew that my sister knew of Blaze.. I just did not know to what context.. but I needed to know if he could be trusted.. even just as a friend.
I forced a fake smile at my father and then began to leave his Office; my father halted my leave briefly.
'Do try to enjoy yourself out there, my dear'. His polite voice echoed, as I shut his door.
Dexter was waiting for my arrival, as I entered my Bedroom; how he knew I was leaving already was beyond me.
My brother was wearing his usual sharp black suit, with the Covens insignia on its pocket. His hair was smartly slicked back, as it always was when he styled it.
His sharp green eyes met mine, with an unhappy and oddly, a challenging expression.
He was sitting with a frown etched across his face and he waved a mobile phone at me, as I closed my Bedroom door.
It was not just any old mobile.. it was mine.. which meant he had probably seen mine and Brax's texts.. SHIT.
I gulped and quickly sat beside him on my bed.
'Dexter.. I can explain'. I winced, as he glared at me.
'I just fucking knew you were too naive for that town.. you know.. I ought to tell everyone about this!'. He snapped angrily, as his wind magic began spiralling around the room.
I grabbed my brothers' hand and gave him pleading eyes.
'Please I beg you, do not tell anyone! He has not tried to get any information out of me or anything.. he is a good man'. I cried.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance but then gave me apologetic look.
'It is already too late Aria.. I broke things off with him, in your way of texting. I told him your loyalty could only ever be to your true family, your Coven'. He sighed.
'Besides, you have been getting on with Blaze so well.. I thought that maybe.. just maybe that this Werewolf did not really matter'. He added, uncomfortably.
I stared at my brother in complete and utter disbelief.
'We kissed.. nothing else and you think that makes it okay to control my love life!? First you set me up with Ray, who nearly fucking forced me to give him my body. And now you want to force me into something that literally meant nothing to me!?'. I snapped, feeling my anger boil.
He grabbed my hand and frowned at me.
'I am sorry. I just.. I do not want you to forget what is most important.. your family'.
I let my anger overtake me; I grabbed a hold of my brothers' throat and screamed at him.
Lightning racked the room and showered over my Bedroom, my brother winced, as sparks flew around and cut him.
The figures of my mother and my father came running into the Bedroom.
Somehow her icy winds combined with my fathers' wind magic enveloped the room and began diminishing my own magic.
My hair was static, my eyes filled with angry tears. Dexter was covered in loads of little cuts and burns from my out-of-control magic.
'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?'. Agust's angry voice bellowed, making both my brother and I stare down at the floor in submission.
My mother gazed at my brother and I, oddly in amusement.
'Can you not see? Clearly your sweet and innocent daughter, attacked your son!'. She scoffed.
My brother held his ribs and frowned.
'No.. I blamed her for what was.. happening to Ray. He is my best friend.. I could not let one stupid mistake condemn him to more misfortune. I attacked her first'. Dexter lied, staring at the carpet.
I stared at him in disbelief.. he was actually defending me, even though he had assumed that I had betrayed our Coven.
I closed my eyes and gave him a soft sad smile; this was the brother I knew and love.
'I see. I will take Dexter to the infirmary and have him checked over. Try to go easy on our daughter for once, my dear'. Agust murmured, as he helped my brother stand up.
This left me alone with my mother.. who seemed oddly happy.
Dorothy smirked at me, as she began her sentence.
'So you have inherited your grandmother's lightning magic, much like Annabelle once had'.
'I have been nothing but a nuisance to you and I am sorry for that, mother'. I stared at the floor, avoiding her gaze completely.
She pushing my chin up to meet her gaze and she smiled at me.
'Then it is time that you made me proud, is it not?'.
'How?'. I frowned.
'I want you to make Blaze strengthen our alliance.. do you understand?'. She spoke cheerfully.
I took a deep breath; my mother was requesting me to give myself to Blaze to make him want to combine our Coven's magic.
'I do not know how I feel about him yet.. I want to experience life before I commit to something like this'. I frowned.
'So explore but make sure you keep him interested in you. I am not telling you to give him your innocence.. I am telling you to tease him.. make him feel more for you and get his signature on use of a blending'. She smiled, enjoying the idea of making our magic stronger by using him.
Blending.. binding our magic together in a spell.. if I did this I would be in his Coven.. a life of servitude and loyalty to his Coven and mine. It was dangerous and rarely ended in true love.
It was not what I wanted, it was cruel. Not only to me but to him too.
It seemed so cruel to ask such a thing and yet I needed my mother to.. like me again.
Was this what my siblings and I were born of too? Would my bloodline be doomed if I went through with such a thing?
I owed my family my loyalty.. and yet I could not help but think about Brax and how it would hurt him.
'I understand mother.. I will do my best to keep his.. interest'. I whispered, blushing slightly.
She pulled me into her chest and hugged me tightly, as she stroked my hair.
'I knew I could rely on you Arianna'. She smiled wickedly at me.
I closed my eyes and plastered a fake smile upon my face; this was what family, loyalty and duty was all about.. I would simply have to be forced into a life of lust and power.